Vacuum cleaner nozzle

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner nozzle having a wire-form carpet contact portion configured curvilinearly with a taper toward the nozzle in the direction of forward movement of the nozzle.

fite States Patent 1 Finber et al. 1 Ma 22 1973 [54] VACUUM CLEANER NOZZLE [56] References Cited [75] Inventors: Raymond B. Finberg, Elkins Park; UNITED STATES PATENTS Robert B. Edelson, Dresher both of 2,851,717 9/1958 Kasper ..l5/378 X R'chard De Salem 2,048,273 7/1936 Ljungquist .,..15 402x Mass- 2,716,773 9 1955 Meyerhoefer ....15 402 x 952,840 3/1910 Pannenborg ....l5/402X [73] Ass'gnee' Incorporated 2,793,243 7/1957 Wex ..1s/422 x [22] Filed: Aug. 2, 1971 Primary ExaminerJohn Petrakes Assistant Examiner-C. K. Moore A l. PP No 168,275 Attorney-Milt0n M. WOlSOIl [52] U.S. Cl ..l5/402, 15/422 57 ABSTRACT [51] lnt.Cl. ..A47l9/06 58 Field of Search ..15/378, 402, 422, A Vacuum cleaner mule hav'ng a We'fmm carpet 5/393 415 contact portion configured curvilinearly with a taper toward the nozzle in the direction of forward movement of the nozzle.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PMEWEDmzQ rm IN TOR. Raymond H. berg Richard E. De Sisro Robert B. Edelson t T S. VQM

ATTORNEY FIG.4

VACUUM CLEANER NOZZLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to nozzles for vacuum cleaners and, more particularly, to nozzles intended for use on carpets of the shag type.

2. Description of the Prior Art Since the advent of shag carpeting, many utensils have appeared on the market to make the length of the nap of this type of carpeting more manageable. The basic construction of these utensils was of a rake type configuration to provide a pure combing action. More recently, vacuum cleaner nozzles have appeared on the market combining suction cleaning with a combing action. Again, however, these nozzles provide merely a combing action by means of a rake type configuration without increasing the cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner with respect to the shag carpeting.

The present invention has clearly improved upon the prior art by providing a vacuum cleaner nozzle which not only gives the long nap of carpeting a combed appearance but also increases the cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed toward a vacuum cleaner nozzle having a wire-form contact portion for the nap of carpeting which provides greater cleaning efficiency as well as a more pleasing final appearance of the carpeting. With specific reference to the preferred embodiments, the contact portion comprises a wire-form of curvilinear configuration with a taper toward the nozzle in the direction of forward movement of the nozzle.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner nozzle for long-napped carpeting which provides greater cleaning efficiency as well as a combed carpet appearance.

This and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when viewing the following description and claims in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the underside of a first embodiment of a nozzle embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view, cross-sectioned in part, of the nozzle shown in FIG. 1; 1

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the underside of a second embodiment of a nozzle embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational, end view of the nozzle shown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings with reference numerals, in FIG. 1, a nozzle disclosing one embodiment of the invention is shown. This nozzle comprises a conventional housing generally designated at 1 having a suction chamber 2 and a wand receiving portion 3 which connects the chamber to a vacuum cleaner wand, not shown, in suction flow communication. The chamber 2 is defined by a pair of flange portions 4 and 5 with the portion 4 adapted to receive a conventional, retractable brush mechanism, not shown.

As can be seen in FIG. 2 as well as FIG. 1, a wireform contact portion generally designated at 6 is secured to the housing 1 as more specifically described hereinafter. The portion 6 is defined by a plurality of curvilinear elements generally designated at 12 which are held in longitudinally spaced, parallel relationship by a pair of longitudinal support bars 13 and 14. Each of the curvilinear elements comprises a first convex portion 7 superimposed over flange portion 5 and a second convex portion 8 superimposed over flange portion 4 with the second convex portion spaced a greater distance at its apex from its respective flange portion than the first convex portion so that the contact portion 6 tapers toward the housing 1 in the direction of forward movement of the nozzle in use.

The longitudinally intermediate first and second convex portions are joined by a concave portion 9 which extends only slightly into the suction chamber 2 whereas the two, longitudinally outermost pairs of first and second convex portions are joined by a concave portion 10 which extends substantially into the suction chamber 2 and is dimensioned so as to flexibly, interferingly fit with the inner walls of flange portions 4 and 5 defining the chamber 2.

As seen in both FIGS. 1 and 2, the contact portion 6 is not only retained on the housing 1 by means of the interfering fit of concave portions 10 in chamber 2 but also by means of the retaining means 11, here shown as a screw, which holds the support bar of the contact portion adjacent the second convex portion to the housing 1. The retaining means 11 such as the screw shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is intended to overlie the support bar 13 to hold the contact portion 6 to the housing along with the pair of concave portions 10.

The curvilinear configurations 12 of the embodiments in FIGS. 1 and 3 are each joined to the support bars 13 and 14 by welding although other securing techniques may be used within the scope of the present invention.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the reference numerals as applied to FIGS. 1 and 2 have been applied to FIGS. 3 and 4 where corresponding parts exist. The basic difference between the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 and the embodiment of FIG. 1 is the manner in which the contact portion 6 is retained by the housing 1. In FIGS. 3 and 4, three lateral areas of retention are shown whereas FIGS. 1 and 2 show only two areas of lateral retention which are the retaining means 11 and the interference fit of the concave portions 10. The three lateral retaining areas shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are the retention of support bar 13 between the pairs of projections 15 and 16, the interference fit of the concave portions 10 in chamber 2, and the overlie of support bar 14 on nose portion 17 of the housing 1. More specifically, as can be noted from FIG. 4, the projections 15 have a tapering surface 18 and a shoulder 19 so that the support bar 13 may cammingly move over the surface 18 and behind the shoulder 19 for retention on the housing 1. The projections 16 provide stops for the support bar 13 to assist in securely fixing the contact portion 6 on the housing without rotative movement. The nose 17 of the housing 1 has a curved surface 20 to provide a camming type movement of the support bar 14 about and behind it to overlie it. Thus, the surfaces 18 and 20 provide a means for snap retention of the contact portion on the housing 1.

The contact portion 6 is somewhat resilient in its final construction and is preferably made of a formable metal such as cold rolled steel although other equivalent materials could also be used. Thus, the interference fit between concave portions 10 and chamber 2 and the snap fit of the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 may be accomplished.

As previously stated, the nozzle of the present invention in either embodiment provides increased cleaning efficiency as well as a combing action for the nap of carpeting on which it is used. The curvilinear configurations 12 with a taper toward the housing 1 in the direction of forward movement of the nozzle facilitate movement of the nozzle along the carpet surface as well as place the suction chamber 2 as close to the carpet as possible. The combing action of the longitudinally spaced, parallel configurations 12 and the closeness of the suction chamber 2 to the carpet increase the cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner since the movement of the nap under the combing action with the suction chamber closely positioned to the carpet lifts a significantly increased amount of foreign material caught within the nap of the carpeting into the vacuum cleaner. The end result, of course, is a well groomed carpet as well as a cleaner carpet.

Since the preferred embodiments may be modified in numerous ways within the scope of the present invention, as, for example, by modifying the materials used, by changing the manner of securing the contact portion to the housing, etc., the preferred embodiments should be viewed as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What we claim is:

1. A vacuum cleaner nozzle comprising a housing defining a vacuum chamber adapted to be placed in fluid flow communication with a vacuum source and a contact portion positioned adjacent the underside of and secured to said housing, said contact portion generally tapering toward said housing in the direction of forward movement of said nozzle in operation and in close proximity to said vacuum chamber wherein said contact portion comprises a plurality of curvilinear elements held in longitudinally extending support bars secured thereto.

2. The nozzle set forth in claim 1 wherein said elements are held in longitudinally spaced, parallel relation by at least one longitudinally extending support bar secured thereto.

3. The nozzle set forth in claim 1 wherein each element comprises a pair of outer convex portions and an intermediate concave portion joining said convex portions.

4. The nozzle set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of elements comprises a pair of convex portions and an intermediate concave portion joining said convex portions, said concave portion overlying said chamber.

5. The nozzle set forth in claim 4 wherein said contact portion is secured to said housing by means retaining one of said support bars to said housing and by the engagement of at least one of said concave portions with said housing within said chamber.

6. The nozzle set forth in claim 5 wherein said housing has a forward nose portion and the other of said support bars is positioned to the rear of said nose portion and said retaining means comprises two pairs of projections, one of said pairs having camming and shoulder surfaces on and to the rear of which, respectively, said one of said support bars is snapped.

7. A vacuum cleaner nozzle comprising a housing defining a vacuum chamber adapted to be placed in fluid flow communication with a vacuum source and a wireform contact portion positioned adjacent the underside of and secured to said housing, said contact portion comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced, parallel curvilinear elements, each of said elements comprising a pair of convex portions and an intermediate concave portion joining said convex portions, said concave portions overlying said chamber in close proximity thereto with at least one of said concave portions in engagement with said housing within said chamber, and one of said convex portions of each elements having its apex spaced a greater distance from said housing than the other of said convex portions so as to provide a general tapering of said curvilinear elements toward said housing in the direction of forward movement of said nozzle in operation. 

1. A vacuum cleaner nozzle comprising a housing defining a vacuum chamber adapted to be placed in fluid flow communication with a vacuum source and a contact portion positioned adjacent the underside of and secured to said housing, said contact portion generally tapering toward said housing in the direction of forward movement of said nozzle in operation and in close proximity to said vacuum chamber wherein said contact portion comprises a plurality of curvilinear elements held in longitudinally extending support bars secured thereto.
 2. The nozzle set forth in claim 1 wherein said elements are held in longitudinally spaced, parallel relation by at least one longitudinally extending support bar secured thereto.
 3. The nozzle set forth in claim 1 wherein each element comprises a pair of outer convex portions and an intermediate concave portion joining said convex portions.
 4. The nozzle set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of elements comprises a pair of convex portions and an intermediate concave portion joining said convex portions, said concave portion overlying said chamber.
 5. The nozzle set forth in claim 4 wherein said contact portion is secured to said housing by means retaining one of said support bars to said housing and by the engagement of at least one of said concave portions with said housing within said chamber.
 6. The nozzle set forth in claim 5 wherein said housing has a forward nose portion and the other of said support bars is positioned to the rear of said nose portion and said retaining means comprises two pairs of projections, one of said pairs having camming and shoulder surfaces on and to the rear of which, respectively, said one of said support bars is snapped.
 7. A vacuum cleaner nozzle comprising a housing defining a vacuum chamber adapted to be placed in fluid flow communication with a vacuum source and a wire-form contact portion positioned adjacent the underside of and secured to said housing, said contact portion comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced, parallel curvilinear elements, each of said elements comprising a pair of convex portions and an intermediate concave portion joining said convex portions, said concave portions overlying said chamber in close proximity thereto with at least one of said concave portions in engagement with said housing within said chamber, and one of said convex portions of each elements having its apex spaced a greater distance from said housing than the other of said convex portions so as to provide a general tapering of said curvilinear elements toward said housing in the direction of forward movement of said nozzle in operation. 